CHAPTER VIII

“Run, boys!” exclaimed Frank as he started
to turn his pony around so as to get beyond reach
of the rapidly advancing bear.

He had just succeeded in doing this, and even started
to gallop away, when he saw a sight that almost froze
the blood in his veins.

Jerry had, of course, intended doing a similar vamoosing
stunt. It happened, however, that his horse was
more frightened than those of the others. When
he jerked at the bridle the beast whirled with such
a vicious fling that the boy, totally unprepared for
such a move, and unable to get the grip with his knees
that a cowboy always secures, went toppling over his
head.

Frank, looking over his shoulder as he was borne rapidly
away by his own alarmed steed, saw Jerry scramble
to his knees. At any rate, he thought with relief,
the other had escaped a broken neck in his ugly tumble.

Still, with that enraged grizzly bearing swiftly down
upon him, in spite of the one rope that still held
taut, the position of poor Jerry was not the most
pleasant in the world.

Frank’s first and only inspiration was to turn
his horse around and rush back to the assistance of
his chum. It never occurred to him that being
without his own rifle, he would only be adding to the
trouble by offering Bruin a double sacrifice.

His pony, however, offered serious objections to facing
that roaring hurricane of a beast. Despite Frank’s
most strenuous efforts, he could only twist the animal’s
head around, but not a step would the frightened beast
approach. Dancing there, he snorted his distrust
and alarm.

But Frank plucked up new hope. He at the same
time saw something else that gave another aspect to
the case. Jerry was not to be left alone to his
fate.

“Hurrah for Mr. Mabie!”

In his excitement Frank let out this shout. It
was caused by seeing the ranchman leap from the back
of his own horse and rapidly run back toward the spot
where Jerry crouched, apparently too winded to get
to his feet and try flight.

Now Mr. Mabie had reached the boy, and the barrier
of his heavy repeating rifle would be between Jerry
and the grizzly. Frank expected to see the stockman
drop on one knee and take aim at the bear, now very
close to the two dismounted ones. Nothing of the
kind occurred. On the contrary, he saw Mr. Mabie
thrust the rifle into the hands of the boy, who seemed
to seize it eagerly.

Jerry had declined to shoot the grizzly when the beast
was held by a cordon of riatas. The conditions
were now considerably altered, for the huge animal
was rapidly bearing down upon him, with the fire of
destruction in his small, blazing eyes. It was
a case of bringing his advance to a speedy stop, or
suffering the consequences.

Frank’s heart thrilled with pride as he saw
his chum throw the rifle up to his shoulder and glance
along the glistening barrel. Mr. Mabie had shown
wonderful confidence in the boy’s nerve to thus
place the solution of the problem in Jerry’s
hands.